Glasgow's Combat Edge Academy held the city's first Scottish Single-Stick Seminar... Well, first in 10, 20, or 50 years? The techniques were based on the Singlestick manual 'Antipugilism' which was written by a Highland Officer of the Black Watch in 1790. The title comes from the concept that you could use the techniques in the street with your cane or walking stick as well as in a singlestick match or in a broadsword fight. The weapon typically consisted of a yard-long ash wood stick with a wicker basket guard, which was usually the combatant's only protection. Singlestick or cudgelling matches at Village fairs and Highland Games often began with the short prayer, "God, spare our eyes", after which the object of the game was to break each others heads, "for the moment that blood runs an inch anywhere above the eyebrow, the old gamester to whom it belongs is beaten" Stickfighting is obviously in the genes...after only a short time, Elhiggitto's Academy's students & Mappers Anything, Greyghost, Teacher, Andy Murray, Confido and White Wizard accustomed to FMA quickly picked up the Guards, Cuts & Drills. The evening ended with 'Loose Play' Single-stick fighting based on the Royal Navy's Calpe Rules of 1930 with only the basic protective equipment! Big thanks to the CEA & MAP Louie
Should I apologise again? Louie mate, really enjoyed it, as did everyone I spoke to afterwards. Some notes would have been good. I find my brain doesn't take in much after 7pm, and I don't want to forget the drills and terms you used.
A great big thanks to Louie and Elhiggito for having such a great seminar. I know that my instructors back in Winnipeg will be very interested in my experience there! And thanks to Louie for being so nice to me during sparring. Now I know what the mouse feels like when the cat plays with it just before the kill! Thanks to everyone else for being so friendly, although I am still confused about the camera crew? I couldn't understand anything they were saying so I hope I answered their questions correctly!
I spotted a nice write up of this event on page 102 of this month's (May 04) issue of Martial Arts Illustrated. And a small photo of several MAPers too
Yep, it was me. I emailed it in, on the off chance that there'd be any interest.... Luckily Stick-fighting seems to be 'flavour of the month' at MAI! Louie